Static charge removal device



Sept. 25, 1951 J. w. RoscoE ET AL STATIC CHARGE REMOVAL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13, 1950 p 1951 J. w. ROSCOE ET AL' 2,569,116

STATIC CHARGE REMOVAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 25, 1951 J. w. ROSCOE ET AL STATIC CHARGE REMOVAL DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 13, 1950 9 5 6 r J A w JAIME 6. M M M M owo n we P 0 0% p m m n r UOOC a 0 O z 4 0o 00 4 O9 0 Io y 0 3 w 2 w v nw v w/ F V/OO 0 9 436 0 6% n 6 o o we Patented Sept. 25, 1951 2,569,116 STATIC CHARGE REMOvAL DEVICE John W. Roscoe;

Havertown, and Harry Kupke, Yeadon, Pa.-

Application February 13, 1950, Serial No. 143.912

This invention relates to the removal of static electrical charges from objects or materials which acquire such charges in the course of manufacture, treatment or handling.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and highly efficient device for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which presents no hazard to personnel.

While the invention is generally applicable to the removal of static charges from any object or material, it is especially useful in connection with paper sheets which have heretofore .presented a serious problem. Therefore, the invention will be described with particular reference to such use.

The handling of sheet paper, as .in printing presses, has been very difficult in the past due to static charges which have previously beenaccumulated by the sheets orwhich are accumulated while the sheets are running through the press. This has presented a problem which has long plagued the industry. Various devices and techniques have been tried in the past to remove the static charges, but such efforts have not been very successful and the problem has persisted for a long period of time.

The most common form of static removal device is that which subjects the static-containing sheets to the eifect of a high voltage established between two conductors or electrodes. vices of this general type have been tried to a considerable extent but have failed to achieve a complete success. In some instances, forced air has been utilized in an effort to enhance the operation of this type of device but this has been of little or no avail. The purpose of an air flow is to efiect delivery of a corrective condition to the static-containing sheets, but prior devices have failed to utilize this principle successfully. In some cases, the delivery of the corrective condition has been blocked; while in others improper design has limited the amount of air available to perform the desired function. A further objection which has been inherent in some of these prior devices is that they have been unsafe for operating personnel.

The present invention makes use of the principle of air flow as above mentioned, but it does so by utilizing unpropelled air in such a manner that effective delivery of a corrective condition to the static-containing sheets is obtained. The manner in which this is accomplished will be made clear in the following description.

For a complete understanding of the invention,

Prior de- 4 Claims. (01. 1751-264) nally of the device;

reference may be had to the accompanying draw ings, wherein:

Figs. land 2- illustrate generally the intake and output portions of a conventional printing press,

and also show preferred locations of static removal devices provided by the present invention;

Fig.3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3+3 of Fig. 1;

- Figs.'4 and 5 are sectional views, on relatively large'scale, ofthe end' portions of the static removal device, these views being taken longitudi- Figs. 6 and 7 are perspectiveviews of the end portions of the device; and

Fig. '8'is a transversesectional view taken ing spacers thereof.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the conventional" printing press illustrated comprises a feed roll of the press, as shown in Fig. 2, the printed sheets 16 are carried by a reciprocating device from the conveyor and. are dropped in a stack on the support [8. Reciprocating devices I9 and 2! serve to align the edges of the sheets as the stack builds up a} As shown in Figs. 1 and"2, static removal devices and 22, both constructed according to the present invention, are located at the intake and output ends of the printing press. These devices are disposed above the traveling web or sheet in spaced relation thereto. The device 2| serves to remove static charges from the sheet material as it enters the press, while the device 22 removes any static charges that have been ac-' cumulate'd by the sheets during-passage thereof through the press.

Fig. 3 is a transversc'view looking toward the device 2| as indicated in Fig. 1. As may be seen in Fig. 3, the static removal device is of elongate form and it extends transversely of the moving sheet, H. The device is mounted on metal side bars 23 and 24 which are parts of the framework of the press.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the bar 23 has mounted thereon a block 25 to which a nut-like holder 2.51s secured by means of a screw 21. The holder 26 has a passage therethrough to receive the lower end-of a mounting rod 28 which is held by set screw29. The rod 28 is L-shaped and at its other end it carriesa nutelike holder '30 which is fixed at' any point along the device between the insulatfrom any object or material. In any instance it is only necessary to bring about reasonably close proximity of the device to the object or material, as the device is efiective for a substantial distance. However best results are obtained with a spacing of several inches.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, it being obvious that the variations and modifications thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A static charge removal device, comprising an elongate air-impervious member substantially rectangular in cross-section and composed of insulating material and having a substantially planar surface serving as an air bafiie, a conductor extending along said surface lengthwise of said member substantially midway of the width of said member, connection means extending from said conductor for application of a high alternating voltage thereto, a plurality of pointed electrodes spaced along and extending from said conductor substantially perpendicular to said surface, at least one ground conductor extending substantially parallel to said surface and to said first conductor in opposed spaced relation to said electrodes, whereby application of said voltage produces ozone and creates a suction effect causing flow of air inwardly adjacent said surface and thence in the direction of said ground conductor, thus propelling the ozone past said ground conductor, and a semi-cylindrical perforated shield secured at its edges to said air-impervious member and with said member forming an enclosure for said conductors, the distance between said ground conductor and said pointed electrodes being less than the distance between said pointed electrodes and said shield.

2. A static charge removal device according to claim 1, wherein said ground conductor is mounted on said shield.

3. A static charge removal device, comprising an elongate air-impervious member composed of insulating material and having a substantially planar surface serving as an air bafiie, a conductor extending along said surface lengthwise of said member substantially midway of the width of said member, connection means extending from said conductor for application of a high alternating voltage thereto, a plurality of pointed electrodes spaced along and extending from said conductor substantially perpendicular to said surface, a pair of ground conductors extending substantially parallel to each other and to said first conductor in opposed spaced relation to said electrodes and defining a relatively narrow slot, whereby application of said voltage produces ozone and creates a suction effect causing flow of air inwardly adjacent said surface and thence in the direction of the slot defined by said ground conductors, thus propelling the ozone through said slot, and a semi-cylindrical perforated shield secured at its edges to said air-impervious member and with said member forming an enclosure for said conductors, the distance between said ground conductor and said pointed electrodes being less than the distance between said pointed electrodes and said shield.

4. A static charge removal device, comprising an elongate air-impervious member composed of insulating material and having a substantially planar surface serving as an air baffle, a conductor extending along said surface lengthwise of said member substantially midway of the width of said member, connection means extending from said conductor for application of a high alternating voltage thereto, a plurality of pointed electrodes spaced along and extending from said conductor substantially perpendicular to said surface, at least one ground conductor extending substantially parallel to said surface and to said first conductor in opposed spaced relation to said electrodes, whereby application of said voltage produces ozone and creates a suction effect causing flow of air inwardly adjacent said surface and thence in the direction of said ground conductor, thus propelling the ozone past said ground conductor, a semi-cylindrical perforated shield secured at its edges to said air-impervious member and with said member forming an enclosure for said conductors, the distance between said ground conductor and said pointed electrodes being less than the distance between said pointed electrodes and said shield, and a plurality of semi-cylindrical insulating members disposed within and spaced along the enclosure formed by said air-impervious member and said shield, said semi-cylindrical members being secured to said air-impervious member and having peripheral recesses seating said conductors to hold them in properly spaced relation throughout the length of the device.

JOHN W. ROSCOE. HARRY KUPKE'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 900,830 Chapman Oct. 13, 1908 940,430 Chapman Nov. 16, 1909 1,680,310 Wehrle Aug. 14, 1928 1,782,712 Chapman Nov. 25, 1930 1,914,110 Chapman June 13, 1933 2,333,213 Slayter Nov. 2, 1943 2,392,808 Chapman Jan. 15, 1946 2,483,542 Hooper Oct. 4, 1949 

